Acquiring the proper tune for a musical instrument is of utmost importance in achieving a pleasing musical performance. For musical instruments having strings such as a guitar, there are two types of string tuning. One type of tuning is referred to as pitch or fine tuning, which is accomplished by increasing or decreasing the tension on a given string, thereby raising or lowering, respectively, the pitch of the string. The other type of string tuning is referred to as harmonic or string length tuning, commonly referred to as intonation, which is accomplished by altering the distance between the points at which a given string contacts the bridge and nut elements of the instrument.
It is also known that clamping devices incorporated at the bridge and nut of the instrument greatly increase the length of time an instrument will remain pitched tuned, however, these devices may be cumbersome to tune and/or intonate. For example, some conventional tuning devices require the user to loosen a fastener that is maintaining a saddle into which the string is received in order to move the saddle to increase or decrease the string length. The saddle is then slid forward or backward until the desired string length is reached. The fastener is then tightened in order to secure the saddle in place. During the process of tightening the fastener, the saddle may move thereby resulting in an undesirable string length and a musical instrument that is not in tune or a desired intonation.
Accordingly, a need exists for an improved device or apparatus which can achieve a more efficient tuning by altering the length of a string of the musical instrument.